Driver cited for failure to stop in bad Rochester crash Wednesday

ROCHESTER — The man who allegedly drove his Nissan Frontier into an SUV on the Route 202 Bypass and caused serious injuries to its driver was cited for failing to stop at a stop sign, police said.

On Thursday, Police Capt. Paul Callaghan said officers cited Justin Doherty, 30, of Nashua, for failing to stop at a stop sign following an investigation into a car accident a day earlier.

The crash between a pickup truck driven by Doherty and a red Dodge Durango driven by Maria Smith, 64, of Farmington, shut down the bypass at Exit 16 of the Spaulding Turnpike for most of the day Wednesday.

Smith was seriously injured in the wreck and authorities called for a medical helicopter to transport her to Maine Medical Center. She was listed in fair condition at the hospital the night of the crash.

Officials who responded to the scene described it as a "T-bone" accident where the front end of Doherty's truck hit the driver's side of Smith's SUV, which was used as a vehicle for the business, Cleaning by Maria.

A regional Technical Accident Reconstruction scene responded to the area of the crash and investigated for hours.

Police said Wednesday afternoon Doherty was entering the bypass from Exit 16 when the truck broadsided the SUV.

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